This invention relates generally to shower curtains, and more particularly to a vertically drawn shower curtain for use in preventing spray from splashing out of a shower enclosure. In addition, this invention relates to a vertically drawn shower curtain that overcomes some of the disadvantages of previously known conventional and vertically drawn shower curtains, and is adaptable to tubs having more than one open wall.
Conventional one piece shower curtains, whether of the vertically drawn roller type, or the more standard hanging type that must be pushed to the side when not in use, have an inherent structural disadvantage. Normally, the rush of water from a shower creates substantial air currents in and around the shower enclosure. This is especially true of hot water showers which create substantial updrafts. With one piece hanging shower curtains such air currents are sufficient to dislodge the edge of the shower curtain from the wall of the shower enclosure or from the edge of the tub. If it pulls away from the wall, water can escape. If it pulls away from the tub, it can interfere with the person taking the shower and water can splash out of the tub. Magnets, formed into the hem of the shower curtain, have been tried as one method of making the seal between the curtain and the tub more effective. However, not all tubs are magnetic. Also, very few walls are capable of being sealed magnetically.
There are other problems with conventional hanging shower curtains. Normally, they are pushed to one side when not in use but this can cause problems as mold and mildew can form in the places where one fold of the curtain overlaps and comes into contact with another fold. Also, even with the shower curtain pushed to one side, the shower curtain is still quite visible, and may look untidy.
In order to overcome some of the problems with conventional shower curtains, vertically drawn shower curtains have been proposed, in the form of shower curtains that are rolled up. Specifically, shower curtains have been proposed that roll up and around the shower rod through the use of an appropriate rolling mechanism. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,222,689 in the name of Efron and U.S. Pat. No. 4,122,559 in the name of Kelly both disclose vertically drawn shower curtains.
However, while creating a neat appearance by being tightly rolled around the shower rod, there are some inherent disadvantages to these inventions. Firstly, if the shower has been used, the shower curtain will be wet. Therefore, if it is rolled up into a tight roll, there is an opportunity for mildew or mold to grow in the moist, tightly enclosed roll. Consequently, U.S. Pat. No. 3,222,689 to Efron discloses a squeegee. The squeegee is located just below the rolling axis of the shower, and is intended to remove all surface water from the shower curtain as it is being wrapped into a tight roll. U.S. Pat. No, 4,122,559, to Kelly discloses a pair of sponge rollers, also located just below the rolling axis of the shower curtain, which are intended to remove excess water.
In each of these devices, however, the necessity of adding additional structures to remove water from the shower curtain increases the manufacturing costs for the device. Also, if for example the sponge rollers become saturated before the curtain is fully retracted, or if the squeegee is ineffective in removing all of the water, then mildew and mold are likely to grow in the moist tightly enclosed roll. Further, these inventions do not even address the problems caused by the air currents created when the shower is turned on.
In modern bathroom styles, it is becoming more common to include free-standing tubs. A free-standing tub may be defined as a tub with more than one open wall. To provide a shower curtain for such a tub requires one that may be adapted to go around one or more corners, and that may conform to whatever shape the tub may take. Therefore, an additional disadvantage of the roller type of vertically drawn shower curtains that have been previously proposed, is that the roller mechanisms are not adaptable to the shapes of modern free-standing tubs.